SCA great sword vs two sword

[nailhead39]

Video game techniques lol anyone who would try video game techniques in an actual battle/fight/skirmish probably plays too many video games, and is therefore, more than likely out of shape. Sure, you'll be able to flail around for like 10 seconds before tiring out and then getting disemboweled by anyone who quasi-knows what their doing.

[ishouldplayzelda]

is that a zweihander? i want to make one out of rattan soooo badly!

[SuperSayjinElite]

Play a game called soul calibu and study and learn to emulate "siegfried" and then tell me that it's not one of the most effective styles of combat.

[KayvaanMatos]

@SuperSayjinElite Video game techniques are all fantasy. I'm a huge fan of video games, but anyone with actual martial skill, and proper training (whether it be kendo, fencing, or swordsmanship) will outmaneuver and outskill their opponent.

You have to hold a weapon a certain way, relevant to it's weight and such to make the best use of it, in terms of speed and balance, etc. I'm no professional, but this I can tell you.

[SuperSayjinElite]

@KayvaanMatos

Soul calibur is mostly based on real techniques, save a couple of characters.

It's mostly NOT fantasy.

[KayvaanMatos]

@SuperSayjinElite I've played Soul Calibur, all I'm saying is in real life I'm not going to drive my sword into the chest of my opponent and throw him up 4 feet in the air. The game does have skimpy women in armor and lizardmen, just pointing it out.

[DiabolusIgnis]

@SuperSayjinElite Gotta lol at you, man. Soul Calibur is indeed BASED on real techniques. But so are most movies featuring the crappiest swordsmanship you've ever seen.

[SuperSayjinElite]

play a game called soul calibur and study "siegfrieds" style, then emulate it, every single move save six are emulatable and employ these tactics and you would be INVINCIBLE, no joke, I've practiced myself against 3 diffrent 6th+ dan kyus in kendo with wooden replicas and they all got slaughtered. Mind you this was ALL in an open space, in closed spaces you would only use it like a spear...

[TheAndrewsterner]

Oh of course, mind telling me what a dan kyu is? that would be ninth master, or a ninth degree master. I can't remember what the spelling for 6th degree is, haven't done any martial art for a few years. In any event, emulating a fighting style off of a video game would get you slaughtered by anyone who's remotely familiar with kendo. Case in point: every one of his attacks is able to be countered(with a katana mind you) with little to no effort.

[Azereiah]

@TheAndrewsterner This. By the way, SCA combat is done with non-authentic techniques, and these guys aren't the epitome of skill. Get into a single fight and you'll probably get torn to shreds using video game techniques, regardless of authenticity.

[noneuclidean]

Have you all tried fighting greatsword with the tip down? While not exactly historically accurate (W Europe) it can really throw an opponent. If you are with a group that takes their hits well then its not an issue. Otherwise it is hard to generate as much force this way. People forget to protect their legs. Get them down on a knee and then change back to a regular style and finish them thanks to reach. Mind you haven't SCA'd in years. Current rules might prevent this.

[recruiter40]

After many years of fighting Greatsword, I can tell you that while difficult to beat a faster and better defended opponent its the same as any other style , find the best opening quickly and hit it.

[naruhina6969]

IMO thares no way a 2 hand sword is gonna beat a 2 wep period. At least not without a huge power diff between the pple iv seen countless fights and big sword = big lose most the time lol

[Azereiah]

@naruhina6969 Do you even do SCA combat? A Greatsword is a wonderful weapon if used by somebody relatively athletic - They can keep the distance nicely. Plus, a lot of people keep a backup mace/axe/short sword with them in case they lose their distance advantage.

[hq9sctgd]

yeah and as you see, after years in the desert for 'uncle sugar' my 2h sword technique was 'lacking'

but it was fun none the less. thank you all for your comments.

[Darinor]

i have to disagree, the problem here is that they have almost the same reach and the fighting area is very small which favors smaller weapons. With good footwork and powerful swings and thrusts 2h wins.

[deathlibrarian]

Christ, I'd be afraid to fight the big guy, looks like he's about to have a heart attack.

Two sword owns two handed weapons.

[paintedbear]

Not as much as you'd like to think. A two handed weapon will generally have range over the two-stick, and two-stick fighters are always vulnerable to a good stab. Honestly, it's going to get down to who has the best control over their range.

[deathlibrarian]

yes true on the range - a two sword has to close quick on a two hander with two sword and survive. But that often means the two hander is attacking moving backwards - never good. A two sword that doesn't close quick is going to get stabbed, as you say. Dissecting the two - the math is with the two sword, IMHO. But I'm biased! :-)

[paintedbear]

I'm biased as well. I love me some great sword.

It's not necessarily backwards movement. Lateral movement works as well, and even getting into a two-stick's grill on your own terms.

Either way, both are good styles and it fundamentally comes down not to the style, but to the fighters.

[anikaire]

the two hander if thrown from the historical postas or guards described in medieval and renaissance texts has plenty of power and can be transitioned into and out of pretty quick. It's hard with smaller weapons to stop a well wound swing from one. That being said if you close in fast enough with the two weapons you have an advantage but that's not so easy if the other one controls his distance well.

[Darinor]

Agreed, 1h vs 2h is speed vs reach and power.

[gigasbleach99]

hey guys where do you get your weapons to train with at?

[tiree2]

They're rattan poles/sticks. Many places sell them. They have to be, if I remember right, at least 1.25 inches in diameter. Most fighters finish their own to SCA standards from the rattan they buy, often adding a guard, lanyard (safety device that "ties" the weapon to the user so it doesn't fly off and hit a bystander) sometimes counterweight and a compressable thrusting tip.  You can make just about any kind of weapon combining closed cell foam, tape, rattan and certain kinds of rubber.